Vegetable harvester



Aug. 23, 1932 R. D. SMITH VEGETABLE HARVESTER Filed Dec. 6, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 abbina, .S

Aug. 23, 1932. R. D. 'sw-m l 1,873,352

VEGE'IABLE HARVESTER Filed Dec. 6, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 23, 1932. R. D. SMITH VEGETABLE HARVESTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 6, 1929 Patented Aug'. 23, i932 unirsngsrarss ROY n. SMITH, or PLE-asienta: vaisrngrown@ vvricrnrnnmi nanvnsfrnn b' My invention relates to new and useful`improvements in vegetable harvesters'and has Y for its principal obj ectpthe provision vof a device of this character which may be 'propelled (25? over the ground and provided with means for extracting the vegetables from the soil, means for topping the vegetables, means for 'conveying the vegetables from the extracting means to the topping means, and means for -.10 delivering the vegetables after being topped into a suitable receptacle.

Another 4obj ect of the invention resides inthe formation ofthe extracting means in such amanner that it may be raised and lowered 'at the will of the operator, means ralso beingprovided whereby the extracting means is limited as to the depth t which it will extend into the ground. L

A further object'of theY invention resides in the provision of a novel form of topping mechanism including a hopper into which the vegetables are deposited and a cutter positioned relative to the hopper to engage and cut the tops from the vegetables, the hopper including means for properly `positioningthe tops of the vegetables so that they willbeengaged bythe cutter.'

A still further obj ect of the invention `resides in the provision of a novel form of conveyor including a Vplurality of blades which extract the vegetables `trom the soil andthencarry them to a Aposition for discharge tol the topping mechanism, the blades being secured Y to a chain and means being provided onthe chain .to pre-vent the tops of the vegetables froml becoming entangled in the chain or sprocket wheels over which the chain passes.' Still another object of the invention resides in so mounting the various mechanisms Iso that the same may be moved' over the ground as a unitary structure and the operator will be insuch a position that he may view the vegetables being discharged into the receptacle and if any of the same are not properly topped he may 'remove them prior to dis charge into the receptacle and return them to the topping mechanism.

With the'above and other objects in View,

which willappear as the description pro-- ceeds, my invention consists in the novel de ,Appiicationeiea December eg'ieafe. fserifaiivo. giairijf i *tai-ls ofconstruction, andfarrangernenty of. parts, described inthe following specification andl 'illustrated 'in the" accompanying drawings, and while I' have illustrated and described ;t-he preferred embodiments of the in`- vention, as they now appear to me, it will be understood that such,A changes may be'made as will fall! withinthe sc o'pejv of the "appended claims. .y "d l In thedrawingsl-v V- Fig.v lis a side'elevation of the completed orasseinbled machine. 1 h f i j F Q'is a;-horizontalwsectionon the line 22 of Fig. l looking inthe direction of the arrows. Y W i" Fig. 3 is'fa substantial vertical sectionon the line 3,-3 of Figfl looking in the direction slightly modified ormfof hopper vconstru'cfv tion for thetoppingmechanism.:

Fig. 91is a detail showing a `longitudinal section, with'parts inv elevation, of one of th rollers usedfin the topping hopper. f.

` Figs." 10,11 and l2 are details lof the elevating conveyorgiand'f'. A f I (Fig. lbf-5r is aV'ragmenta-l detail with parts'i in vertical section"v and parts in elevation of the casting forming a bearing forvthe topper and rollers positioned in the toppinghopper.

lfnthedrawings lindicatesa supporting frame', preferably ofangleiron construction, supported' adjacent the rear end by the Awheel Zand atthe. forward Yend by tractor wheels t0. be later` described. A. platform 31is secured to andsupported by the rear endroit' the frame 95 1mi), 'un

bag or receptacle being supported on the platform 3. Braces 7 are connected to and extend Y between the back portion 4 and ring 5 and braces 8 are secured kto the back portion 4 andV platform3. Secured to and supported by the forward end of the frame 1 is a chute or guideway 9through which thevegetables are elevated to be dischargedA into the spout 10 of the construction more particularly ilj lustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Secured adjacent the lower end ofthe-chute or guide` way 9 are brackets 11 which'support theshaft 12 and mounted on the shaft 12 arethe depending links or strips 13 to which are se-` cured, by means of the rivets, bolts or other 'suitable fastenings, a member 15 which has its upperfy end telescoping within'fthe lower end of thechute'9 and forminga continuation of said-chute. The bottom of the member 15 is formed of longitudinally extending transversely spaced slats 16 to the lforward end ofY ywhichthey blade 17 willenter'the ground, the

gauge-s ridingoverthe surface ofthe ground as shown more particularly in Fig. 1 of the drawings. A platform 19 is secured to the chute 9 by means of the brackets 20 rand extending rear.

twardly from the platformare the handles .21,havingthe, handgri'ps 22 positioned adj acen-tthe top ovfthebag or receptacle 6. Supported upon the platform 19 is an internal combustion engine 23'or'other suitable motor 'which drives theshaft, 24 to which is secured the gearwheel 25; `Also rotatably mounted in the engine casting is aftransversely'extending horizontal shaft -26 to which is secured a sprocket wheel 27. A sprocket chain 28 opcrates around the sprocket vwheels 25 and 27 and thereby the'sha'ft 26 .is ldriven from the shaft 24. Y

Depending from Vthe kplatform 19, adjacent each side'edge thereof, are-the arms 29, 30 and' 31 awhich come together at ltheir lower ends and support the outwardly ,extending stub axles 32fand 33 fonopposite sides oftheI extension 15 of the chute y9v and mounted, respectively, on these stub axles 32 and -33 are the traction wheels 34 and 35..v 'Thesetraction wheels .f are the ones,previouisly referred to, which support the'forward end of the machine.` Secured to each of the traction wheels 34 and 35 is a sprocket wheel 36 and carried by the horizontal shaft '26, adjacent each end thereof, is a sprocket wheel 37, these sprocket wheels 37 being in alignment with the sprocket wheels 36. A sprocket chain 38 is extended around one of the` sprocket wheels 37 and one of the sprocket wheels 36 `and asimilar sprocket chain V39 .is extended around the other sprocketwheel '37 and aligned sprocket wheel 36, the sprocket chain 38 thereby driving the traction wheel 34 while the sprocket chain 39 drives the traction wheel 35.` It Vwill thusbe seen that through means of the shaft 26, which is driven from the motor, the traction wheels are yoperated through means of the sprocket chains v'38 and 39. When the ytraction wheels are operated theyz 4will propel the machine over the ground.

A shaft 40 is connected tol and supported from vthe forward endof the adjustable exten` sion l15 of the vchute 9 by means ofthestrips or `plates41 and-secured to the shaftj40is-,a sprocket wheel 42 whichaligns with a-sprocket wheel 4.3 mounted onlthe yshaft 12.y Extending forwardly and upwardly from the shaftr 40 are thelinks V44 in the outer endsV of Vwhich is mounted a` vshaft* 4.5 which Vcarries the sprocket wheel 46. This sprocket Vwheel .asY

46 .aligns with thesprocket ,wheels 42 and 43,'V

as shown more vparticularly in Fig.'2 of the drawings. under side of the-platformy19, adjacent the forward edge thereof, and support thefhorizontal shaft 48 to which is -connectedfzfor swinging movement, the bell cranklever 49.

f Connected to the lower arm of thefbell crank ylever is a link 50which has its lowerendconnected to the shaftf/JCO.v Connected tothel upper arm of the bell crank Yleveris a rod 51 which extends'towards the rear end `of the machine with its end connected to the lever 52 pivotally`connected 'at; 53 to thel bracket 54 carried by the frame` 1. In Fig. 1 of the vdrawings I havev shown the Tlever 52 posi-4 tioned forwardly with the lower end or ex- ,tension 15`vof the chute in position toj gather the vegetables which I have indi-cated generally at 55. WVhenthe lever is pulled rearwardly it will in turnfdraw upon the rod 51 and through means of the bell crank lever 49 and link 50 raise the forward end'or extension ofthe chute out of the ground sothat the 4machine may be propelled without diggingor harvesting the vegetables.j Atj'56 Irh'ave shown aspring clip, securedfto thegback por-v tion 4 of theplatform 3 and positioned to engage the lever when in its rearwardmost -position and'hold the same in thatposition Brackets 47 are secured toV the vwith the forward end or extension of the chute in its raised position. v

Secured to the sides of thelchute-Q; at the upper end thereof, are the brackets 57 which support the horizontal shaft 58 to which the sprocket wheels 59 andV 60 are secured,-the

sprocket wheel 59 being in alignment with the sprocket Wheels 42, 43 and 46. Secured vis sprockets.

to the `rear faceof the chute 9, adjacent the upper end thereof, are the brackets 61 which support the horizontal' shaft 62 to which are lsecured the sprocket wheels 63 and 64 and the beveled gear 65. A sprocket chfain .66, driven from the shaft'26, `operates around. the sprocket Wheel 63 and drives the shaft 62. A-sprocket chain 67'op`erates around the 'sprocket wheels 60 and 64 and 4drives the shaft i A.- conveyor chain 68is Atrained and operates aroundthe sprocket wheels 42, 43, 46 andj`59, as shown more particularly in Fig. 1-o`f the drawings and formed as a part of certainof the linksof'ftheichain are the project-ions `69 to which are secured, by means of lthe bolts 70 Aand nuts 71 the transversely extending wooden blocks 72. Positioned between the innerfaces of the wooden blocks 72 and the adjacent faces'of the extensions 69 is a canvas strip 7S-which extends parallel beneath theV chain and actsl to prevent dirt or the vegetables fro'ni engaging and clogging the chain. This allows ready operation of theconveyor chain around the severalk conveyor chain is driven from the' sprocket wheel 59 vcarried Vby the shaft' 58. Blades 74 are secured to the transversely extending blocks 72 bymeans of the bolts 70 and nuts 71, the bolts extending through horizontal 'extensions' 7 5 at the top of the blades which "extend parallel withthe outer faces of the l, blocks 72; The ends of the horizontal portions 75, of the blades, are bent upwardly t'o forni the'verticalextensions 76, extending 'parallel with a verticalface ofthe associated block 72. Transverselyextending'bolts 77 `pass through the vertical extensions 76 and through the blocks 47 2 and receive the nuts 78; The bla-des 74 extend at an angle Ifrom the blocks 72, as quite clearlyillustratedin the drawings and after the vege- ,V tables have been dug from the around bv i c :D J

from the frame 1is a standard 79 which has the blade 17 they will enter the extension `15 of the chute and be conveyed upwardly through theextension and chute by means Lof the blades, it being understood that the blades enter the chuteas quite clearly illustrated in the drawings. Upon-reaching the upper end of the chiite the vegetable-s are deposited onto the spout 10 from which they are discharged to a hopper to belaterdescribed. l

`iupported by and extending upwardly its upper end lreceived in the socket 80of the casting 81. This casting has at the top the outwardly flared portions 82 the lends of which are adapted to be engaged bythe upper arms of angle iron strips 84 which are secured Vto the flared 'portion' of the casting by ',mea'ns of the rivets, bolts or other suitable fastenings 85. The strips 84 extend upwardly at an angle towards the chute 9 and ItA will be' understood that the,

the upper ends thereofr are secured to the side faces' of the cliuteby means of rivets or other suitable fastenings 86. `Securedto the strips 84,` at their lower or rear ends, and extending A upwardly therefrom are the 'plates or brackets 87 to the upper ends of which are secured the angleJ iron strips 88 similar to thestrips 84. The. strips 88 extend towards the forward 'end of the machine and upwardly at an angle .with their upper ends secured to the 'i sides Vof the chute 9 by means of the rivets 89 or other suitable fastenings; Secured'to and extending transversely over the tops of vthe strips 88 are the plates or strips 90 and 91 which are longitudinally spaced,'as shown more particularly in Fig. 1 ofthe drawings and the ends of these plates orstrips are bent downwardly as shown more-.particularlyat 92 in Fig. 7 lof thedra-wings. Carriedby 92 is a socket member 93 having .the threaded shank portion 94 which passes through the extensions 92 andV receives the nuts 95. Sup- Vported bythe socket members 93 4are' the rollers of the constructionshown more particularly in Fig. 9 of thedrawings.` lEach of these rollers consists of a" plurality of hollow sections 96, adjacentends of which are secured together by means of a vineinber 97 `having its ends received in the sectionsand yond theperiphery of the section of the roller and cooperating with the flanges 99of the niembers97 in a'manner to be later described.

Secured to `and extending between the 'each of the downwardly inclined extensions -iio n strips 84. adjacent th'eupper ends thereof, is

a plate 102 having the spacedelongated openings 103, as shown more particularlyin Fig. 6 of the drawings. Mountedon the upper vsurface of this plate 102 are the socket mein-V bers or bearings 104=having thedepending threaded portions 105 which extend `through the openings 103 and receive the nuts 106. Secured to and depending from the strips 84 and plate 102 is the bracket member 107 hav- -inga bearing portion 108 vto receive one end ofia shaft 109, the opposite end ofthe shaft being` received in the recess 110'fo-rniedin vthe inner face of the casting 81 supported by the standard 7 9. Carried bythe shaft V109 are the cutting blades111 of theshape shown more particularly in Figs. 1 Vandl 4 of the drawings and adapted to operatein a manner to be later .described for removing` or cutting'tops from the gathered vegetables.

.'Supp'orteduon the upper. face' of .theV casting i81 are-the socket orv bearing members '112 similar to the members or bearings 104, .these bearings or .socketV members being readily adjustable transversely of the casting in the same manner that the ybearings or 'socket'members 104 areadjustable, they having threaded extensions' 113 which pass `the' rollers formed in the sections A96 are'the belts 117 which as shown,l more particularly in Fig. .7,of the drawings form aho i er to receive the vegetables from the Vspout 10. The jbelt .sections 117 operate between the lflanges, 99'andA 101 forming apart of the upper rollers. Secured to one of the angle iron, stripsy84l and extendinginwardly tov a poi nt adjacent the spaceformedbetween the rollers 116 is a blade 118k which cooperates with the blades11`1 carried by the rotatable shaft 109 toY top the vegetables. y Secured to theupp'er or forward end of the shaft 109 is a-'beveled gear 119 which meshes withthe beveledgear on `the shaft 62. Through means ofthe meshing of these beveled gears the shaft 109 is rotated.` Also secured to the :shaft 109 is a relatively large sprocket wheel 120 around which operates a sprocket chain Secured to ftheupper end of leachof .the rollers 1161's .a sprocket wheel 122 and the chain V121 will engage 'these sprocket wheels 122, as shown moreY particularly in Fig. 5 ofthe drawings to operate them in the` directions indicated by the arrows. Through Vmeans of the chain and sprocket wheels the rollers 116 are rotated to operate .the belts 117 in the direction indicated in Fig. 7 of therdrawings to feed the vegetables towards the bottom of the hopper or in a position so that their tops will pass through theY space between the rollers 116 torbe cut off bytherotating blades 111 cooperating with the blade 118. Y

In Fig. 8 of the drawings I have showna somewhat different form of hopper, for receiving the vegetables, from that illustrated in Fig. 7 of the'drawings.y vInstead of providing theY movable belts for feeding the vegetables towards the bottom of the hopper IV provide inclined plates. In this form of the invention the brackets 123 are secured to the Vside vstrips 8i instead of the strips .or .plates 87 shown in Fig. 7 and secured to these brackets 123 and Vto the upper side strips 88 are the plates 124'which are arranged at such `an angle Vas to direct the vegetablestowards the rollers 116 so that, the., tops thereof may `pass through the space between ythe rollers-to be cut off bythe knives or blades 111 ,cooper ating with the blade 118. vIn allotherrespects the construction shownv in Fig. 8isthe same as VVthat disclosed` in Fig. .7.. In fact plates .and belts and either. the belts or plates may be used as may bev found desirable.

vwhat I do is to provide the interchangeable j Y At thelower endof the hopper I .provide the spout 125-.which `extends over theupper edge of the back lioof the platform 3, asshown more particularly -in- Fig. 1 of the drawings,

and discharges .theV vegetables yfrom 4whichthe tops have -beencut into` the bag or other-receptacle 6. It will beunderstood that the tops drop from the hopper, onto thefground, after beingcut from the vegetables.

From the above detail` description itis thought that the Construction and manner of operation will be'clearly understood. YIt will Vbersee'n that themachine will be propelled over'the ground bythe motor mounted on the platform '19 and with the lower end o r ex-y E tension 15 of the chutev lowered as shown more'.

particularly in Fig. 1 of the drawings the blade'y 17 lat the bottomvof the extension will y cut into the ground and .dig the vegetables shown generally' at 55. The vegetableswl'l pass into'the extension 15 and through means of the blades 74 on the conveyor chain :6,8

will be raised through the chute and d el posited into the spout `10'fromwhich they are discharged into thehopper -vmember illustrated more particularlyfin Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings. Mostof thevdirt gathered with the vegetables'iwill lpass between the slatel vforming the bottom of the extension 15 butif dirt remains' as the vegetables are carried-up throughv the chute it will=haveatendency to `drop back tothe bottomofthechute andthe discharged. lAfter thevegetables Vare ldis- Y charged into the hopper Athey will be directed towards thevbottom thereof by either the belts 1 117, shown in Fig. -7 or the inclined plates 124, shown in Fig. 8. Whenvthebelts are usedv they naturally draw the .vegetables `towards the bottom and direct the topsthereofthrough I the space between the` rollers 116.' If the plates 124 are usedinstead of the beltsthe vegetables are directedto the rollers 116 which draw the .tops .through the space inpo` sition to be cut off by the rotating blades or lknives 111 cooperating withvthe yblade 118. Y

The tops, as previously described, willvdrop Y through` the bottom of the hopper onto the vground. 'The vegetables, after being topped,

pass into the spout from which'they are `discharged into the bag or receptacle 6.A I

Vwish to lay particular advantageon the idea of having thev operator working at a point where he can examine the vegetables just prior to the time in which they aredischarged into the bag or receptacle. The operator will r walk behind the machine and guide the same Y by grasping the hand grips 22 on the handles 21. I-Ie will be in a position to observe the vegetables as they are discharged into the spout 125 from the hopper and if they arek on the bell crank lever 49 and through means'- of the link 50 raise the extension or lower end of the chute l5. When thus raised thel machine may be moved over the ground without digging. When the lever 52 is swung to its rearwardmost position to hold the eXtension l5 raised it will be engaged by the spring 'clip 56 and held against accidental displacement. It will be further noted that I have provided means whereby the rollers 116V at the bottom of the hopper may be adjusted transversely to provide the desired space therebetween to allow the tops of dierent vegetables to pass properly therethrough. Y

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A harvester of the character described including means for removing vegetables from the ground, a conveyor for raising the removed vegetables, and a hopper into which the vegetables are deposited by the conveyor,

said conveyor including a chain, a plurality of blades, and means interposed betw-een the chain and blades for preventing clogging of the chain.

2. A harvester of the character described including means for removing vegetables from the ground, a conveyor for raising the removed vegetables, and aI hopper into which the vegetables are deposited by the conveyor, said conveyor including a chain, a plurality of blades, and means interposed between the chain and blades and extending parallel with the chain for preventing clogging of the chain.

3. A harvester of the character described including a chute having a movable lower portion for removing the vegetables from the ground, a conveyor for carrying the removed vegetables through the chute, a portion of said conveyor being connectedto and operable with the movable portion of the chute, a hopper into which the vegetables are deposited from the conveyor, and means for raising and lowering the movable portion of the chute and the associated part of the conveyor.

4. A harvester of the character described including a chute having a movable lower portion for removing the vegetables from the ground, a conveyor for carrying the removed vegetables through the chute, a portion of said conveyor @beingrconnected to and operable with the movable portion of the chute, a hopper into which the vegetables are deposited from the conveyor, means for removing the tops of the vegetables while in the hopper, a receptacle into which the topped vegetables are deposited, and means for raising and lowering the movable portion of the chute and rthe associated part of the conveyor.

5.' A harvester of the character described including a frame, supporting, means for the frame including a traction wheel, a platform secured to the frame, means mounted on the platform for driving the traction wheel for propelling the harvest-er, a chute carried by the frame and having an adjustable lower portion for removing vegetables from the ground, a conveyor for carrying the removed vegetables through the chute, and means for operatingy the adjustable lowerportion of the chute. l

6. AA harvester of the character described including a frame, supporting means for the frame including a traction wheel, av chute carried by the frame and having an adjustable lower portion ,for removing vegetables lfrom the ground, a conveyor for carrying the removed vegetables through the chute, a hopper into which the vegetables are discharged from the chute, rollers positioned in the bottom of thehopper with a space therebetweelna cutter positioned beneath the rollers for remov- Y ing the tops from the vegetables as they are drawn through the space between the rollers"V upon operation thereof, a platform, means mounted on thel platform for driving the traction wheel to propel the harvester', to operate the conveyor, to operate the rollers positioned in the bottom of the hopper and to operate the cutter, and means for operating the adjustable lower portion of the chute.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

ROY D. SMITH. 

